Drolma La - 5636m
1999, Kim Malville
At 5636 m (18, 500 ft), Drolma La is the high pass on the Kailash Kora that represents the most challenging and rewarding point of the circuit. The crossing over this pass represents a transition from the former life to a new one with all of the previous sins forgiven by the compassionate Goddess of Mercy, Drolma. Every stone around the pass is considered to be permeated with the three qualities of the Buddha: mind, speech, and body. They also represent the Three Jewels: Buddha, dharma, and sangha. In the middle of the pass is a large, cubic rock called Phawang Mebar, upon which are a pyramid of stones to support a flagpole. The flagpole has many strands of prayer flags going to other surrounding flagpoles, and around the rock are placed all kinds of things by the passing pilgrims, like clothing, horns, animal skulls, hair and butter stuck to the rock, and other such mementos. The pass is a place for fervent prayer, mantra recitations, and readings from sacred texts by the pilgrims passing over, and is also a place to look for omens. Often, animal owners will bring their animals over the pass to protect them from slaughter and to give them long lives.
1989, Russell Johnson 
1987, Bradley Rowe / Stone Routes